Falstaff.
K. H.
How bloodily the sun begins to peer note
Above yon' busky note hill! the day looks pale
At his distemp'rature.
Pri.
The southern wind
Doth play the trumpet to his purposes;
And, by his hollow note whistling in the leaves,
Fore-tells a tempest, and a blust'ring day.
K. H.
Then with the losers let it sympathize;
For nothing can seem foul to note those that win.—
Trumpet. Enter Worcester, and Vernon.
How now, my lord of Worcester? 'tis not well,
That you and I should meet upon such terms
As now we meet: You have deceiv'd our trust;
And made us doff our easy robes of peace,
To crush our old limbs note in ungentle steel:
This is not well, my lord, this is not well.
What say you to't? will you again unknit
This churlish knot of all-abhorred war?
And move note in that obedient orb again,
Where you did give a fair and natural light;
And be no more an exhal'd meteor,
A prodigy of fear, and a portent
Of broached mischief to the unborn times?
Wor.
Hear me, my liege:
For mine own part, I could be well content
To entertain the lag-end of my life
With quiet hours; for, I do note protest,
I have not sought the day of this dislike.
K. H.
You have not sought it, sir: How comes it then?
Fal.
Rebellion lay in his way, and he found it.
-- 87 --
Pri.
Peace, chewet, peace.
Wor.
It pleas'd your majesty, to turn your looks
Of favour, from myself, and all our house;
And yet I must remember you, my lord,
We were the first and dearest of your friends.
For you, my staff of office did I break
In Richard's time; and posted day and night
To meet you on the way, and kiss your hand,
When yet you were in place and in account
Nothing so strong and fortunate as I.
It was myself, my brother, and his son,
That brought you home, and boldly did outdare note
The dangers note of the time: You swore to us,—
And you did swear note that oath at Doncaster,—
That you did nothing purpose note 'gainst the state;
Nor claim note no further than your new-fall'n right,
The seat of Gaunt, dukedom of Lancaster:
To this we swore note our aid. But, in short space,
It rain'd down fortune show'ring on your head;
And such a flood of greatness fell on you,—
What with our help; what with the absent king;
What with the injuries of a note wanton time;
The seeming sufferances that you had born;
And the contrarious winds, that held the king
So long in his unlucky note Irish wars,
That all in England did repute him dead,—
As, from note14Q0654 this swarm of fair advantages,
You took occasion to be quickly woo'd
To gripe the general sway into your hand:
Forgot your oath to us at Doncaster;
And, being fed by us, you us'd us so
As that ungentle gull, the cuckoo's bird,
-- 88 --
Useth the sparrow: did oppress our nest;
Grew by our feeding to so great a bulk,
That even our love durst not come near your sight,
For fear of swallowing; but with nimble wing
We were enforc'd, for safety sake, to fly
Out of your sight, and raise this present head:
Whereby you stand note14Q0655 opposed by such means
As you yourself have forg'd against yourself;
By unkind usage, dang'rous countenance,
And violation of all faith and troth
Sworn note to us in your note younger enterprize.
K. H.
These things, indeed, you have articulated note,
Proclaim'd at market-crosses, read in churches;
To face the garment of rebellion
With some fine colour, that may please the eye
Of fickle changelings, and poor discontents,
Which gape, and rub the elbow, at the news
Of hurly-burly innovation:
And never yet did insurrection want
Such water-colours, to impaint his cause;
Nor moody note beggars, starving for a time
Of pell-mell havock and confusion.
Pri.
In both our armies note, there is many a soul
Shall pay full dearly for this bold encounter,
If once they join in trial. Tell your nephew,
The prince of Wales doth join with all the world
In praise of Harry note Percy: By my hopes,—
This present enterprize set off his note head,—
I do not think, a braver gentleman,
More active-valiant, or more valiant note-young,
More daring, or more bold, is now alive,
To grace this latter age with noble deeds.
-- 89 --
For my part, I may speak it to my shame,
I have a truant been to chivalry;
And so, I hear, he doth account me too:
Yet this before my father's majesty,—
I am content, that he shall take the odds
Of his great name and estimation;
And will, to save the blood on either side,
Try fortune with him in a note single fight.
K. H.
And, prince of Wales, so dare we venture thee,
Albeit, considerations infinite
Do make against it:—No, good Worcester, no,
We love our people well; even those we love,
That are mis-led upon your cousin's part:
And, will they take the offer of our grace,
Both he, and they, and you, yea, every man
Shall be my friend again, and I'll be his:
So tell your cousin, and then bring me word
What he will do:—But if he will not yield note,
Rebuke and dread correction wait note on us,
And they shall do their office. So, be gone;
We will not now be troubl'd with reply:
We offer fair, take it advisedly.
[Exeunt Worcester, and Vernon.
Pri.
It will not be accepted, on my life:
The Douglas and the Hot-spur both together
Are confident against the world in arms.
K. H.
Hence, therefore, every leader to his charge;
For, on their answer, will we set on them:
And God befriend us, as our cause is just!
[Exeunt King, Blunt, and P. John.
Fal.
Hal, if thou see me down in the battle, and bestride
me, so; 'tis a point of friendship.
-- 90 --
Pri.
Nothing but a colossus can do thee that friendship.
Say thy prayers, and farewel.
Fal.
I would it were note bed-time, Hal, and all well.
Pri.
Why, thou ow'st God a death.
[Exit.
Fal.
'Tis not due yet; I would be loth to pay him
before his day: What need I be so forward with him
that calls not on me? Well, 'tis no matter; Honour
pricks me on. Yea note, but how if honour prick me off
when I come on? how then? Can honour set to a leg?
No. Or an arm? No. Or take away the grief of a wound?
No. Honour hath no skill in surgery then? No. What
is honour? A word. What is that word, honour? Air note.
A trim reck'ning!—Who hath it? He that dy'd o'wednesday.
Doth he feel it? No. Doth he hear it? No. Is it
insensible note then? Yea, to the dead. But will it note not live
with the living? No. Why? Detraction will not suffer
it:—therefore I'll none of it: Honour is a meer scutcheon,
and so ends my catechism.
[Exit.
SCENE II.
Hot-spur's Camp.
Enter Worcester, and Vernon.
Wor.
O no, my nephew must not know, sir Richard,
The liberal kind note offer of the king.
Ver.
'Twere best, he did.
Wor.
Then are we note all undone.
It is not possible, it cannot be,
The king should note keep his word in loving us;
He will suspect us still, and find a time
To punish this offence in other note faults:
Suspicion note, all our lives, shall be stuck full of eyes:
For treason note is but trusted like the fox;
Who, ne'er so tame, so cherish'd, and lock'd up,
-- 91 --
Will have a wild trick of his ancestors:
Look how we note can, or sad, or merrily,
Interpretation will misquote our looks;
And we shall feed like oxen at a stall,
The better cherish'd, still the nearer death.
My nephew's trespass may be well forgot,
It hath the excuse of youth, and heat of blood;
And an adopted name of priviledge,—
A hare-brain'd Hot-spur, govern'd by a spleen:
All his offences live upon my head,
And on his father's;—we did train him on;
And, his corruption being ta'en from us,
We, as the spring of all, shall pay for all.
Therefore, good cousin, let not Harry know,
In any case, the offer of the king.
Ver.
Deliver what you will, I'll say, 'tis so note.
Here comes your cousin.
Enter Hot-spur, and Douglas; Officers attending.
Hot.
My uncle is return'd;—Deliver up
My lord of Westmoreland.—Uncle, what news?
Wor.
The king will bid you battle presently.
Hot.
Defy him14Q0656 by the lord of Westmoreland:—
Lord Douglas, do you go note and tell him so.
Dou.
Marry, and shall, and very note willingly.
[Exit.
Wor.
There is no seeming mercy in the king.
Hot.
Did you beg any? God forbid!
Wor.
I told him gently of our note grievances,
Of his oath-breaking; which he mended thus,—
By now forswearing that he is forsworn:
He calls us, rebels, traitors; and will scourge
With haughty arms this hateful name in us.
-- 92 --
Re-enter Douglas.
Dou.
Arm, gentlemen, to arms! for I have thrown
A brave defiance in king Henry's teeth,
And Westmoreland, that was engag'd, did bear note it;
Which cannot choose but bring him quickly on.
Wor.
The prince of Wales stept forth before the king,
And, nephew, challeng'd you to single fight.
Hot.
O, would the quarrel lay upon our heads;
And that no man might draw short breath to-day,
But I, and Harry Monmouth! Tell me, tell me,
How shew'd his tasking note?14Q0657 seem'd it in contempt?
Ver.
No, by my soul; I never in my life
Did hear a challenge urg'd more modestly,
Unless a brother should a brother dare
To gentle exercise and proof of arms.
He gave you all the duties of a man;
Trim'd up your praises with a princely tongue;
Spoke your deservings like a chronicle;
Making you ever better than his praise,
By still dispraising praise, valu'd with you:
And, which became him like a prince indeed,
He made a blushing cital of himself;
And chid his truant youth with such note a grace,
As if he master'd there a double spirit,
Of teaching, and of learning, instantly.
There did he pause: But let me tell the world,—
If he out-live the envy of this day,
England did never owe so sweet a hope,
So much misconstru'd in his wantonness.
Hot.
Cousin, I think, thou art enamoured
Upon his note follies; never did I hear
Of any prince so wild a libertine note note:—
-- 93 --
But, be he as he will, yet once ere night
I will embrace him with a soldier's arm,
That he shall shrink under my courtesy.—
Arm, arm, with speed:—And, fellows note, soldiers, friends,
[turning to the Officers.
Better consider what you have to do,
Than I, that have not well the gift of tongue,
Can lift your blood up by persuasion.
Enter a Messenger.
Mes.
My lord,
Here are letters for you.
Hot.
I cannot read them now.—
O gentlemen, the time of life is short;
To spend14Q0658 that shortness basely, 'twere note too long;
If life did ride upon a dial's point,
Still ending note at the arrival of an hour.
An if we note live, we live to tread on kings;
If die, Brave death, when princes die with us!
Now, for our consciences,—the arms are fair note,
When the intent of bearing note them is just.
Enter another Messenger.
2. M.
My lord, prepare; the king comes on apace.
Hot.
I thank him, that he cuts me from my tale,
For I profess not talking; Only this—
Let each man do his best: and here draw I note
A † sword, whose temper note I intend to stain
With the best blood that I can meet withal
In the adventure of this perilous day.
Now,—Esperance!—Percy!—and set on.—
Sound all the lofty instruments of war,
And by that musick let us all embrace:
For, heaven to earth, some of us never shall
-- 94 --
A second time do such a courtesy.
[Flourish of Trumpets, &c. They embrace, and Exeunt.
SCENE III.
Plain between the Camps.
Alarums, as of a Battle join'd. Excursions, and Parties fighting.
Enter Douglas, and Blunt, meeting.
Blu.
What is thy name, that in the battle thus
Thou crossest me? what honour dost thou seek
Upon my head?
Dou.
Know then, my name is Douglas;
And I do haunt thee in the battle thus,
Because some tell me that thou art a king.
Blu.
They tell thee true.
Dou.
The lord of Stafford dear to note-day hath bought
Thy likeness; for, instead of thee, king Harry,
This sword hath ended him: so shall it thee,
Unless thou yield thee as my prisoner note.
Blu.
I was not born a yielder note, thou proud Scot note;
And thou shalt find a king, that will revenge
Lord note Stafford's death.
[fight, and Blunt is slain.
Enter Hotspur.
Hot.
O Douglas, hadst thou fought at Holmedon note thus,
I never had triúmph'd note upon note a Scot.
Dou.
All's done, all's won; here breathless lies the king.
Hot.
Where?
Dou.
Here.
Hot.
This, Douglas? no, I know this face full well;
A gallant knight he was, his name was Blunt,
Semblably furnish'd like the king himself.
Dou.
A fool14Q0659 go with thy soul, where'er note note it goes!
[to the Body.
A borrow'd title hast thou bought too dear.
-- 95 --
Why didst thou tell me that thou wert a king?
Hot.
The king hath many marching in his coats.
Dou.
Now by my sword, I will kill all his coats;
I'll murther all his wardrobe, piece by piece,
Until I meet the king.
Hot.
Up, and away;
Our soldiers stand full fairly for the day.
[Exeunt.
Other Alarums. Enter Falstaff.
Fal.
Though I could 'scape shot-free at London, I fear
the shot here; here's no scoring, but upon the pate.—
Soft! who art thou note? Sir Walter Blunt;—there's honour
for you: Here's no vanity.14Q0660 I am as hot as molten lead,
and as heavy too: God keep note lead out of me! I need no
more weight than mine own bowels. I have led my
ragamuffins where they are pepper'd: there's not three
of my hundred and fifty left alive; and they are note for the
town's end, to beg during life. But who comes here?
Enter the Prince.
Pri.
What, stand'st note thou idle here? lend me thy sword:
Many a nobleman note lies stark and stiff
Under the hoofs note of vaunting enemies,
Whose deaths are unreveng'd note: lend note me thy sword.
Fal.
O Hal,
I pr'ythee, give me leave to breath a while:—
Turk Gregory14Q0661 never did such deeds in arms,
As I have done this day:
I have pay'd Percy, I have made him sure.
Pri.
He is, indeed; and living to kill thee.
I pr'ythee now, lend me thy sword.
Fal.
Nay, Hal,
'Fore God note, note if Percy be alive, thou get'st note not
-- 96 --
My sword; but take my pistol, if thou wilt.
Pri.
Give it me: What, is't in the case?
Fal.
Ay, Hal;
[offering the Case to him.
'Tis hot note, 'tis hot; there's that will sack a city.
[Prince opens, and draws out a Bottle of Sack.
Pri.
What, is it a time to jest and dally now?
[throws it at him, and Exit.
Fal.
If note Percy be alive, I'll pierce him. If he do come
in my way, so: if he do not,—if I come in his willingly,
let him make a carbonado of me. I like not such grinning
honour as sir Walter hath: Give me life: which if
I can save, so; if not, honour comes unlook'd for, and
there's an end.
[Exit.
SCENE IV.
Another Part of it.
Alarums. Excursions. Enter the King, Prince of Wales, Prince John, and Westmoreland.
K. H.
Harry note, withdraw thyself; thou bleed'st too much:—
Lord John of Lancaster, go you with him.
P. Jo.
Not I, my lord, unless I did bleed too.
Pri.
I do beseech your Majesty, note make up,
Lest your retirement note do amaze your friends.
K. H.
I will do so:—My lord of Westmoreland,
Lead him to his tent.
Wes.
Come, my lord, I will lead you to your tent.
Pri.
Lead me, my lord? I do not need your help:
And heaven note forbid, a shallow scratch should drive
The prince of Wales from such a field as this;
Where stain'd nobility note lies trodden on,
And rebels' arms triumph in massacres!
P. Jo.
We breath too long:—Come, cousin Westmoreland,
-- 97 --
Our duty this way lies; for God's note sake, come.
[Exeunt P. John, and West.
Pri.
By heaven note, thou hast deceiv'd me, Lancaster,
I did not think thee lord of such a spirit:
Before, I lov'd thee as a brother, John;
But now, I do respect thee as my soul.
K. H.
I saw him hold lord Percy at the point,
With lustier maintenance than I did look for
Of such an ungrown warrior.
Pri.
O, this boy
Lends mettle to us all!
[Exit.
Alarums. Enter Douglas.
Dou.
Another king! they grow like Hydra's heads:
I am the Douglas, fatal to all those
That wear those colours on them.—What art thou,
That counterfeit'st the person of a king?
K. H.
The king himself; who, Douglas, grieves at heart,
So many of his shadows thou hast met,
And not the very king. I have two boys,
Seek Percy, and thyself, about the field:
But, seeing thou fall'st on me so luckily,
I will assay thee; so defend note thyself.
Dou.
I fear, thou art another counterfeit;
And yet, in faith, thou bear'st thee like a king:
But mine, I am sure, thou art, whoe'er thou be,
And thus I win thee.
[engaging him.
The King being in Danger, Enter the Prince of Wales.
Pri.
Hold up thy note head, vile Scot, or thou art like
Never to hold it up again! the spirits
Of Shirley note,14Q0662 Stafford, Blunt, are in my arms:
It is the prince of Wales, that threatens note thee;
-- 98 --
Who never promiseth, but he note means to pay.—
[fight; and Douglas flies.
Cheerly, my lord; How fares your grace?—
Sir Nicholas Gawsey hath for succour sent,
And so hath Clifton; I'll to Clifton straight.
K. H.
Stay, breath note a while:—
Thou hast redeem'd thy lost opinion;14Q0663
And shew'd, thou mak'st some tender of my life,
In this fair rescue thou hast brought to me.
Pri.
O God! note they did me too much injury,
That ever said, I hearken'd to your note death.
If it were so, I might have let alone
The insulting hand of Douglas over you;
Which would have been as speedy in your end,
As all the pois'nous potions in the world,
And sav'd the treacherous labour of your son.
K. H.
Make up to Clifton, I'll to sir Nicholas Gawsey.
[Exit King.
As the Prince is going out, Enter Hot-spur.
Hot.
If I mistake not, thou art Harry Monmouth.
Pri.
Thou speak'st as if I would deny my name.
Hot.
My name is Harry Percy.
Pri.
Then note I see
A very valiant rebel of that name note.
I am the prince of Wales; and think not, Percy,
To share with me in glory any more:
Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere;
Nor can one England brook a double reign,
Of Harry Percy, and the prince of Wales.
Hot.
Nor shall it, Harry, for the hour is come
To end the one of us; And would to God note,
Thy name in arms were now as great as mine!
-- 99 --
Pri.
I'll make it greater, ere I part from thee;
And all the budding note honours on thy crest
I'll crop, to make a garland for my head.
Hot.
I can no longer brook thy vanities.
[fight.
Enter Falstaff.
Fal.
Well said, Hal! to it, Hal! Nay, you shall find
no boy's play here, I can tell you.
Enter Douglas, and makes at Falstaff;
who receives a Blow, and falls down, making Shew
as he were dead, and Exit Douglas. Hot-spur receives
a Wound, and falls.
Hot.
O, Harry, thou hast rob'd me of my youth:
I better brook note the loss of brittle life,
Than those proud titles thou hast won of me;
They wound my thoughts, worse than thy sword note my flesh:—
But thought's the slave note of life, and life time's fool;
And time, that takes survey of all the world,
Must have a stop. O, I could prophesy,
But that the earthy and note cold hand of death
Lies on my tongue:—No, Percy, thou art dust,
And food for—
[sinks, and dies.
Pri.
For worms, brave Percy: Fare thee note well, great heart!—
Ill-weav'd ambition, how much art thou shrunk!
When that this body did contain a spirit,
A kingdom for it was too small a bound;
But now, two paces of the vilest earth
Is room enough:—This earth, that bears thee dead note,
Bears not alive so stout a gentleman.
If thou wert sensible of courtesy,
I should not make so dear a note shew of zeal:—
But let my favours &dagger2; hide thy mangl'd face:
-- 100 --
And, even in thy behalf, I'll thank myself
For doing these fair rites of tenderness.
Adieu, and take thy praise with thee to heaven!
Thy ignomy note sleep with thee in the grave,
Be not note remember'd14Q0664 in thy epitaph!—
[going, and sees Falstaff.
What! old acquaintance! could not all this flesh
Keep in a little life? Poor Jack, farewel!
I could have better spar'd a better man.
O, I should have a heavy miss of thee,
If I were much in love with vanity.
Death hath not struck so fat a note deer to-day,
Though many dearer, in this bloody fray:—
Imbowel'd will I see thee by and by;
'Till then, in blood by noble Percy lye.
[Exit.
Fal.
Imbowel'd! [rising up slowly.] if thou imbowel
me to-day, I'll give you leave to powder me, and eat
me too, to-morrow. 'Sblood note, 'twas time to counterfeit,
or that hot termagant Scot had pay'd me scot and lot
too. Counterfeit? I lie note, I am no counterfeit: To die, is
to be a counterfeit; for he is but the counterfeit of a
man, who hath not the life of a man: but to counterfeit
dying, when a man thereby liveth, is to be no counterfeit,
but the true and perfect image of life indeed. The
better part of valour is—discretion; in the which better
part, I have saved my life. 'Zounds note, I am afraid note of this
gun-powder Percy, though he be dead: How if he should
counterfeit too, and rise? I note am afraid, he would prove
the better counterfeit. Therefore I'll make him sure:
giving him a Stab.] yea, and I'll swear I kill'd him note;
Why may not he rise, as well as I? Nothing confutes
me but eyes, and nobody sees me:—Therefore, sirrah,
-- 101 --
with a new wound in your thigh, come you along with note
me.
[takes Hot-spur on his Back.
Re-enter the Prince, and Prince John.
Pri.
Come, brother John, full bravely hast thou flesh'd
Thy maiden sword.
P. Jo.
But, soft! who have note we here?
Did you not tell me, this fat man was dead?
Pri.
I did; I saw him dead, breathless and bleeding
Upon the note ground.—
Art thou alive? or is it fantasy,
That plays upon our eye-sight? I pr'ythee, speak;
We will not trust our eyes, without our ears:—
Thou art not what thou seem'st.
Fal.
No, that's certain; I am not a double man: but
if I am not note Jack Falstaff, then am I a Jack. There is
Percy: [throwing down his Load.] if your father will do
me any honour, so; if not, let him kill the note next Percy
himself. I look to be either earl or duke, I can assure you.
Pri.
Why, Percy I kill'd myself, and saw thee dead.
Fal.
Didst thou?—Lord, Lord, how this world note is
given to lying!—I grant you, I was down, and out of
breath; and so was he: but we rose both at an instant,
and fought a long hour by Shrewsbury clock. If I may be
believ'd, so; if not, let them, that should reward valour,
bear the sin upon their own heads. I'll take it upon note my
death, I gave him this wound in the thigh: if the man
were alive, and would deny it, I note would make note him eat a
piece of my sword.
P. Jo.
This is the strangest tale that e'er I heard.
Pri.
This is the strangest fellow, brother John.—
Come, bring your luggage nobly on your back:
For my part, if a lie may do thee grace,
-- 102 --
I'll gild it with the happiest terms I have.
[Retreat sounded.
The trumpet sounds note retreat, the day is ours:
Come, brother, let's to the highest of the field,
To see what friends are living, who are dead.
[Exeunt Princes.
Fal.
I'll follow, as they say, for reward. He that rewards
me, God reward note him! If I do grow great, I'll grow
less; for I'll purge, and leave sack, and live cleanly as
a nobleman should do.
[Exit, bearing off the Body.
SCENE V.
Another Part.
Flourish of Trumpets, &c. Enter the King,
Prince of Wales, Prince John, Westmoreland, and Others;
with Worcester, and Vernon, Prisoners.
K. H.
Thus ever did rebellion find rebuke.—
Ill-spirited Worcester! did we not note send grace,
Pardon, and terms of love to all of you?
And wouldst thou turn our offers contrary?
Misuse the tenor of thy kinsman's trust?
Three knights upon our party slain to-day,
A noble earl, and many a creature else,
Had been alive this hour,
If, like a christian, thou hadst truly born
Betwixt our armies true intelligence.
Wor.
What I have done, my safety urg'd me to;
And I embrace this fortune patiently,
Since not to be avoided it falls on me.
K. H.
Bear Worcester to the note death, and Vernon too:
Other offenders we will pause upon.—
[Exeunt Worcester, and Vernon, guarded.
How goes the field?
-- 103 --
Pri.
The noble Scot note, lord Douglas,—when he saw
The fortune of the day quite turn'd note from him,
The noble Percy slain, and all his men
Upon the foot of fear,—fled with the rest;
And, falling from a hill, he was so bruis'd,
That the pursuers took him: At my tent
The Douglas is; and I beseech your grace,
I may dispose of him.
K. H.
With all my heart.
Pri.
Then, brother John of Lancaster, to you
This honourable bounty shall belong:
Go to the Douglas, and deliver him
Up to his pleasure, ransomless, and free:
His valour note, shown upon our crests to-day,
Hath note taught us how to cherish such high deeds,
Even in the bosom of our adversaries.
P. Jo. note
I thank your grace for this high courtesy,
Which I shall give away immediately.
K. H.
Then this remains,—that we divide our power:
You, son John, and my cousin Westmoreland,
Towards note York shall bend you, with your dearest speed,
To meet Northumberland, and the prelate note Scroop,
Who, as we hear, are busily in arms;
Myself,—and you note, son Harry,—will towards Wales,
To fight with Glendower, and the earl of March.
Rebellion in this land shall lose his sway note,
Meeting the check of such another day:
And since this business is so fairly note done,14Q0665
Let us not leave 'till all our own be won.
Flourish.
Exeunt.
